DG Technology Report

Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, B.C., has begun in-house testing of a 10-kW natural-gas-fueled prototype stationary fuel cell power generator.

Capstone Turbine, Chatsworth, Calif., "apparently hit a wall this summer," according to Energy Daily. The firm, which has shipped 1,700 units since beginning commercial operations in 1998, shipped only 80 microturbines in the third quarter of this year. One investment analyst had earlier predicted a worst case of 250 microturbines shipped in the second half of 2001, which was obviously much too was optimistic.

Chrysalix Energy, a limited partnership formed by Ballard Power Systems, Shell Hydrogen and Westcoast Energy, seeks to fund early-stage companies with "high growth potential" in fuel cells and related systems, hydrogen infrastructure and related activities.

Cummins Power Generation, Columbus, Ind., has won a $74.9 million contract from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop "an affordable, compact and virtually pollutant-free 10-kW fuel cell module."

DCH Technology, Valencia, Calif., has received a contract from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to provide 10 remote fuel-cell power systems. The units will be used to provide electricity on demand to air and water quality sampling equipment.

FuelCell Energy, Danbury, Conn., will ship seven fuel cells to the Friedrichshafen facility of Daimler Chrysler between October 2001 and the end of 2002. They are to be used by the carmaker in tests of 250-kW commercial fuel cell power plants.

Fuel Cell Technologies is planning to lease a 19,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility in Ottawa, Ontario. The company calls it a milestone in its development.

General Motors usually researches fuel cells for use in automobiles, but the company has developed a stationary 5.3-kW fuel cell generator for use in homes.

Mitsui of Japan will work with Osaka Gas Co. and H Power, a U.S.-based fuel cell maker, to develop a home-use cogeneration system that will go on the market in 2003, according to a report on the Dow Jones Newswires.

Plug Power, Latham, N.Y., offered additional shares in a secondary offering over the summer, but it was not as well received as the firm would have liked. Initially announced when Plug stock was trading at $30 per share—with a target of raising of $130 million—the actual sale of 4 million shares at the going price of $12 each raised less than $48 million. Additional funding has come from General Electric Co. and DTE Energy.

Proton Energy Systems, Rocky Hill, Conn., signed a $6.2 million contract with the Naval Research Laboratory for development of advanced fuel cell technology. It is part of the Water Rocket program from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which applies Proton's technology to advanced space propulsion and energy systems.

From Pure Power, Winter 2001.